Bouyant safe.



C. VA N BLAADEREN.

BUOYANT SAFE.

, APPLICATION HLED 050.13, 1913.

1 1 88,5 1 4 1 Patented June 27, 1916.

8 SHEETS-SHEET I,

1 ATTY T coumam PLANoqn/um cm, WASHING-Ion, n- C.

C. VAN BLA'ADEREN.

BUOYANT SAFE. APPLICATION FILED ass. 13. I913.

Patented June 27, 1916.

a smanS-sncsr 2.

WITNE'JSES;

ATTY.

THE cn'LUMBlA PLANOGRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON, n. C.

' wlr vissss C. VAN BLAADEREN.

BUOYANT SAFE. APPLICATlON FILED DEC- 13, Hill!- 1 1 88,5 1 4; 3 PatentedJune 27, 1916.

' SHEET 3- I '8 SHEETS- I "Vt/V70 I ATTY- c. VAN BLAADEREN.

BUOYANT SAFE APPLICATION FILED 056.13. 1913.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 4- 1,188,514. Patented June 27 1 916.

Mp6. I

C VAN BLAADEREN.- BUOYANT SAFE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 13, 1913- v 1,188,514. Patented June 27, 1916.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

THI: COLUMBIA ILANUCIRAPH co., \vAsmNu'rON. D. c.

C. VAN BLAADEREN.

BUOYANT SAFE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-l3. I913.

Patented June 27, 1916.

a SHEETS-SHEET 6- I/VVE/VTORJ WI /M65556,

C. VAN BLAADEREN.

BUOYANT SAFE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 13. 1913.

1916. a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented June 27,

THE COLUMBIA FLANOURAPH cc.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

C. VAN BLAADEREN.

BUOYANT SAFE.

APPLICATION men 050. 13.1913.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

v l 49% w 4 3 4 6 1 Patented June 27, 1916.

CORNELIS VAN BLAADEREN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

BUOYANT" SAFE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J ne 27, 1916,

Application filed December 13, 1913. Serial No. 806,386.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CoRNnLIs VAN BLAADE- BEN,a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at 609 Ninth avenue,Seattle, Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements inBuoyant Safes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for transportingvaluables, such as large quantities of gold, etc, in a safe man ner, andis particularly adapted for use in marine transportation. j

The object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus as abovementioned, which will float upon the surface of the water, and which iscompact in construction and effective for the purpose for which it isused.

The invention consists in providing a buoyant safe for valuables,equipped with suitable signals, such as rockets, signal lamps andaudible signals which are brought into operation when the safe isfloated.

A further feature consists in making the safe both heat and burglarproof.

Another and more important feature resides in the provision of means forsecuring the safe to the deck of a vessel and to automatically releasethe safe when the vessel sinks, to allow the same to free itself fromthe vessel. Also the provision of an electric system for controlling theoperation of the different signal devices and locking means, whichsystem is made effective through the sinking of the vessel, as will behereinafter more fully described.

A still further feature consists in the provision of suitable means toreceive Hertzian waves from a nearby vessel, which waves will effect thedischarge of said rockets.

With the foregoing in view the invention consists in a certaincombination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter set forth and morefully described, it being understood however, that changes in theprecise construction may be resorted to which fall within the legitimatescope of the invent ion,as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus, forming theinvention, and showing some of the signaling devices projectedtherefrom; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the apparatusillustrated in 1, and showing the signal means folded or collapsedwithin the safe; Fig. 3 is a plan View of the invention; Fig.

4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the safe illustrating in enlargedview the signal apparatus and the means for projecting the same; Fig. 5is a fragmentary plan View taken on line AB of Fig. 4;; Figs. 6 and 7are detail plan views of certain parts of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 shows amodified construction of the safe; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan of Fig.8; Fig. 10 is a side elevation of one of the locking means for securingthe safe to the vessel; Fig. 11 is a diagram of the electric system forcontrolling the operation of the signal devices of the invention, andalso illustrates means for rendering said system effective; Fig. 12 is adetail sectional view of the projecting apparatus showing the sameconnected with a modified construction of the projecting rod for thesignaling devices; Figs. 18 and 14; are enlarged detailviews of one ofthe safe-securing means; Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the slidablefork associated with the clutch mechanism for the time controllingdevice; and, Fig. 16 is an elevation of the same taken on a plane atright angles to the plane of Fig. 15. I

Like reference characters referred to in the specification'denotesimilar or like parts on the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A denotes a safe preferably of'a spherical orglobe form and having the center of gravity lower than the central point.or line so that it may float in a vertical position. The safe issupported in position upon the deck of a vessel in the seat 0 which isfirmly fixed with the bed-plate 7 the latter being secured to the deck.The construction of the safe comprises an inner and outer steel shell onand b respectively spaced apart by the heat insulating material c andwhich are held together in position by the connecting-rods at. The heatinsulating material 4) is to be of a suitable thickness as clearly shownin Fig. 2 of the drawings. The outer shell I) of the safe is covered orsurrounded with electrical insulating material cl to prevent electricalcontact between the outer shell I) and the outer copper covering 0,which latter finally envelops the whole safe.

In order to hold the safe upon the seat 0 and to prevent the same frombeing washed off of the deck by a rough sea, although to permit the safeto became released from the seat when the vessel is sinking, anautomatic locking device is provided which comprises a plurality oflevers 40 pivoted to the seat 0, on the shaft :6, and adapted to conformto the shape of the safe. These levers preferably take a semi-circularor arc formation and are pivoted slightly above the lower half thereof.To lock these levers 40 in a position to secure the safe upon the seat,a latch member 41 is disposed in the seat 0 and is adapted to engage thelower end of the levers 40 and thus prevent the rotation of the leversabout the shaft t.

A shaft 44 is connected to the latch 41 by the connecting lever 43 (seeFig. 14) which is rigid with the shaft. A counterweight 45 is extendedfrom the shaft 44 diametrically opposite to the latch 41, to rotate sameand thereby move the latch out i of engagement with the lower ends ofthe levers 40. An electro-magnet 47, normally energized by the battery49 through the circuit 48, attracts the lever armature 46 to counteractthe rotation of the shaft 44 caused by the counter-weight 45, andthereby holds the latch 41 in engagement with the locking lever 40 whichwill retain the safe upon the seat 0 in a locked position. The electriccircuit 48 is so disposed and l connected on the vessel that when thelatter begins to sink the electro-magnet is shortcircuited and releasesthe armature 46 whereupon the counter-weight 45 moves the latch 41 fromengagement, with the locking levers 40, and thus allows the latter toswing about their axes t and release the same.

In order to prevent rotation of the safe in its seat, a depressible pawlm is mounted I within a socket in the bed-plate ,1) directly beneath thesafe. The upper end of this pawl is adapted to be retained in engagementwithin a recess in the bottom of the v V safe normally by means of aspring m.'

The safe is provided in the upper portion of the wall thereof with arecess or compartment it, normally covered by the cappiece 72., to housethe signal apparatus,

which is mounted upon a rod 9. The rod 9 passes in a watertight mannerthrough the bottom of the compartment h and is rigidly connected withanother rod 9 slidably mounted in a tube .9 fixed to the base plate 4;of the safe. The signal apparatus is adapted to automatically appearwhen the which surrounds a tube 8 and which is connected to the lowerend 1' of the sleeve 7* fixed to the rod 9 by means of a cable-34 passedover the pulley 33. The counterweight is normally locked by means of apawl 32, as shown in Fig. 12, which is controlled by the magnet 9, andwhich holds the weight in a position so as to allow the apparatus toremain housed in the compartment h.

When the safe leaves the seat 0 the latter pulls on a cable 4, see Fig.11, which operates the slidable fork or cam 4 which moves the heads ofthe clutch members 3 into engagement. One portion of the clutch memheris secured to the shaft 1 of a time controlling mechanism 2, while theother portion of the clutch is connected with the shaft 1, whichcontrols the electric circuits of the battery 5. Said circuits areconnected with and are adapted to operate the signal mechanism andenergize the magnet 9. As before stated, the safety of the safe dependsupon the manner in which the safe leaves the vessel. Therefore, a timemechanism 2 is provided to control the operation of the signalapparatus, and whereby the pawl 32 is drawn from engagement with theweight 33, only after a certain period of time has elapsed.

The signal apparatus (Fig. 4) comprises one or more signal lamps 7surrounded by the protected lenses 7 an electric fog-horn 6 and aplurality of rockets 8, all arranged and supported on the rod 9. Thereis also provided a pole j equipped with a telegraphic receiving wire 17connected with the wiring of the battery 5, which controls the dischargeof the rockets 8. The pole j is normally housed in the passageway 10 andis, preferably, projected out of the safe at the same time with thesignal apparatus.

A predetermined time after the cable 4 has been broken and the shafts land 1 have been connected by the clutch heads 3, the time mechanism 2will rotate the shafts 1 and 1, and by means of the gears 10 the shafts11 and 12 are likewise rotated to throw the switches 13, C, D and E intoop- 11. In the circuits of the battery 5, as will be seen from Fig. 11,are disposed the magnets 9 controlling the pawl 32 (see Fig. 12), thefog-horn 6, the signal lamps 7 and the rockets 8. So it will be seenthat after a predetermined time the magnets 9 will become energizedthrough the operation of the switches 13 and draw the core 80 out ofengagement with the dog 82- which in turn releases the counter-weight 33whereby the signal apparatus 6, 7 and 8 are projected out of the safe.At the same time the switches C and D are operating and thus cause theoperation of the electric fog-horn 6 and signal lamps 7. The electricalconnection of the signal lamp switches C with the time mechanism is suchthat the signal lamps will only burn at night. The switch establishesand interrupts the connection with the battery 5 according to theoperation of the time-mechanism, thereby saving all of the currentpossible by avoiding the unnecessary burning of the lamps.

The switches E of the rocket controlling circuits are of such aconstruction as to cooperate upon the reception of an electrical impulsethrough Hertzian waves which are received by the receiving wire on thepole 3'. These Hertzian waves are discharged by a nearby vessel and whenreceived by the apparatus of the present invention operate upon theswitches E to send off the rockets 8 so as to attract the attention ofthe passing vessel.

The interior of the safe A is provided with a plurality of shelves anddrawers as indicated by Z and with the floor or base plate y. Y Thestorage battery 5, above referred to, is preferably disposed in thespace I? below the floor 3 Access may be had to the interior of the safethrough a man-hole f which is formed in the interior wall a and isclosed by a suitable door provided with a combination lock mechanism.The man-hole is also provided with an outer door I) suitably bolted orsecured to the outer wall of the safe. The apparatus may be alsoprovided on its outer surface with a plurality of sunken handles 6 whichwill permit the device to be handled.

Fig. 12 illustrates a modified form of a projecting rod for the signaldevices housed within the compartment h. This modified constructionconsists of a collapsible or telescopic rod 30 each section being openedor extended by the dropping of the counter weight 33 when the latter isreleased from its normal position by the pawl 32. The spring pawl 32 isnormally forced outwardly by a spring surrounding the same. However whenthe apparatus is set the core 30 of the electro-magnet 9 engages withthe pawl 32 and holds the same in the path of the counter-weight, 33.When the electromagnet is energized and the core 30 attracted the pawl32 is freed and moves outwardly from the path of the counter-weight 33which falls by gravity causing the projecting rod 30 to be extended,through the medium of the cable 34, and the signal apparatus projectedout of the safe.

In Fig. 8 is shown a modified form of the invention wherein the safe ofa substantially cylindrical formation is provided. This cylindrical safeis held upon the seat 0 by a plurality of pivoted levers n, as abovementioned. One or more of these levers are held by a yielding pin 1slidably mounted in the frame 2 and is held in looking relation to thepivoted catch 4: by means of the electromagnet 3, the catch 4 engaging arecess in the lever n. l/Vhen the vessel sinks, the magnet will becomedeenergized, as before described. Hence the pin will release the latch 4which will drop by gravity out of the recess in said lever. To preventthe safe from turning about on a horizontal aXis owing to heavy seas andother influences, there is provided in the base plate 29 a head m whichis yieldingly held in engagement with the wall of a suitable recess inthe safe, by means of a spring a, as may be seen from Fig. 1.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. In a floating safe of the character described, in combination, abody, signaling apparatus normally positioned within said body, andmeans within said body for automatically projecting said apparatus outof said body.

2. In a floating safe of the character described, in combination, abody, electrical signaling apparatus, a switch controlling saidapparatus and a time-mechanism for opening and closing the switch.

3. In a floating safe of the character described, in combination, abody, signaling apparatus normally positioned therein, means forprojecting said apparatus out of said body, a locking member normallylocking said projecting means against action, and time controlled meansfor releasing said locking member. j

i. In a device of the character described, in combination, a floatingsafe, and means for retaining it on a ships deck, said means comprisinga seat provided with upwardly extending supports, and arms pivotallyattached to said supports and adapted to engage the safe when positionedupon said seat, said arms being rotatable about their pivots in avertical plane.

5. In a device of the character described, in combination, a floatingsafe, and means for retaining it on a ships deck, said means comprisinga seat, arms pivotally attached to said seat and adapted to engage thesafe when positioned upon said seat, locking means normally holding oneor more of said arms against rotation, and means actuated by the sinkingof the ship to render said locking means inoperative.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination, a floatingsafe having a recess in the wall thereof, a seat for retaining it upon aships deck, and means for looking said safe against rotation about itshorizontal axis while positioned in said seat comprising a pawl on saidseat yieldingly held in the recess of said safe.

7. A floating safe to be carried by vessels comprising a body, signalingapparatus normally positioned within said body, means within said bodyfor automatically projecting said apparatus without the same, and meansfor causing said last mentioned means to be eflective when said body isremoved from the vessel.

8. A floating safe of the character described, comprising incombination, a body, means for retaining the body on the vessel,electrical signal apparatus, a switch controlling said apparatus, timemechanism for opening and closing the switch, and means for renderingthe time mechanism effective when said body leaves said retaining means.

9. A floating safe of the character described comprising in combination,a body,

means for retaining the body of the vessel, electrical signal apparatus,a switch controlling said apparatus, and means for operating said switchafter a predetermined period of time upon the removal of the body fromsaid retaining means.

10. In a floating sate of the character described, in combination, abody, means for retaining the body on the vessel, signaling apparatusnormally positioned within the body, means for projecting said apparatusout of said body, a locking member normally locking said projectingmeans against operation, time controlled means for releas ing saidlocking means, means for locking said safe on said retaining means,means for causing said last mentioned means to release the safe when thevessel sinks, and means actuated by the releasement of said safe fromsaid retaining means to cause said time controlled means to becomeeffective.

11. In a device of the character described, in combination, a floatingsafe, locking means for retaining said safe on the deck of a vessel,means for automatically releasing said safe when the vessel sinks,signaling apparatus carried within the safe, and means for causing saidapparatus to be projected from the safe when the latter is released fromthe'vessel.

12. In a device or" the characted described, in combination", a floatingsafe, means for retaining the safe on the deck of a vessel, said meanscomprising a seat, arms pivotally attached to said seat and adapted toengage the safe when the latter is positioned upon said seat, lockingmeans normally holding one or more of said arms against rotation, anelectric circuit, electro-magnetic means fed from said circuit andnormally causing said locking means to be effective, saidelect-romagnetic means being adapted to be shortcircuited by the sinkingof the vessel to render said locking means inoperative and to releasesaid safe from said seat.

13. A floating safe of the character described, comprising, incombination, a buoyant body, means for retaining said body 1,1ss,51a

upon the vessel, a signal apparatus comprising signal lamps, rockets andan audible signal device, said apparatus being adapted to be normallypositioned within the safe, pro j ecting means operatively connectedwith said signal apparatus, electric-circuits connected with each ofsaid signals of said apparatus, means in one of said electric-circuitsfor normally holding said projecting means inoperative, a source ofelectrical supply for said circuits, a switch mechanism for opening andclosing said circuits, a time controlled mechanism for opening andclosing said switches, means for causing said retaining means to releasesaid safe when the vessel sinks, and means actuated by the removal ofthe safe from the retaining means to cause said time-mechanism to beetlective, whereby said projecting means and signal devices areoperated.

14-. In a device of the character described comprising, in combination,a buoyant safe,

signaling apparatus normally positioned within the safe comprisingsignal lamps, rockets, and an audible signal device, projecting meansconnected-with said signal apparatus, electric circuits for operatingsaid lamps and audible signal, means in one of said circuits fornormally rendering said projecting means inoperative, a source ofelectrical energy for said circuits, controlled means for opening andclosing said circuits, a rocket discharge mechanism adapted to beenergized by one of said circuits, and means carried by the safe adaptedto receive Hertzian wave impulses which latter control the operation ofsaid rocket discharging mechanism when the said mechanism is energized.

15. In a device of the character described comprising, in combination, abuoyant safe, signal rockets normally positioned within the safe, aprojecting means connected with said signal rockets, an electric circuitand a source of electrical supply therefor, means in said. circuit fornormally rendering said projecting means inoperative, controlled meansfor making and breaking said circuit, rocket discharging mechanismenergized by said circuit when said rockets are projected from the safe,and means carried by the safe adapted to receive Hertzian wave impulseswhich latter cause the said mechanism to discharge said rockets whensaid mechanism is energized.

In testimonywhereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CORNELIS VAN BLAADEREN.

W itnesses A. C. HEBBARD, J. R. CAMERON.

@opiea of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, I0. E3."

